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The Expanding U.S. Kaolin Market Size

Kaolin is a soft, white clay and due to its’ usage in a variety of products including plastics, cement, ceramics, and cement the U.S. kaolin market size is expected to expand exponentially. According to Hexa Research, the U.S. kaolin market size is estimated to be 5,403.6 kilo tons in 2016 and believes it will continue to grow “on account of factors such as increasing construction spending and rising sales of homes.” Kaolin acts as a filler, and/or a pigment, in products that are critical in the construction sphere such as cement, adhesives, plastics, and rubber.

In the United States, the rising costs of housing may be partially due to two different age groups, the Millennials and Baby Boomers. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the average age for first-time home buyers is currently 33 years old which places the oldest Millennials right in that figure. With more Millennials still in their mid-to-late 20’s, a stream of demand should continue with this trend. Baby Boomers are also contributing to increased home-buying, and thus costs, as they are more confident about purchasing after trends of recovery after the economic crash of several years ago.

In order for kaolin to be processed for use in construction materials, and thus capitalizing on the rising market, it has to be milled to specific particle sizes depending on its ultimate usage. An option for particle reduction is the FCM Classifier Mill that features technology that combines impact milling and classification in the same machine. The FCM Classifier Mill comes in several models to support varying processing needs per hour and its flexibility means that kaolin producers can adjust the final particle size as needed.

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